Holder for collapsible tubes



Sept. 16, 1930. F. WOLF 1.7 5.7 7

HOLDER FOR COLLA PSIBLE TUBES Filed Jan. 18. 1928 INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 16, 1930 I FRANK worry or NEW YORILN, Y.

HOLDER FORCOLLAPSIBLE TUBES Applicatioii filedfanuary ls,1928. Serialno. 247,500.

This invention relates'to holders for-cob lapsible tubes, such asareused forw' ending tooth 'paste,shav1ng cream and similar substances, andhas particular reference to a portable holder with a service cover whichwill be automatically moved'to opened and closed positions.

Collapsible tubes of the above mentioned characterare provided with neckportions at their outlet ends which are screwthreaded for thereception'of a closure cap, and consider able inconvenience hasbeenfound in removing and applylng suchscrew threaded closure caps, andfrequently they are lost, making it necessary to subsequently leavethetube uncovered. Anumber-of suggestions have been made with a viewtoproviding collapsible tubes=with captive caps,"but all o f suchsuggestions havebeen comparatively costly in 26 thatthey mustnecessarily be applied to the tubes by the manufacturers thereof, andfurthermore, they have been objectionable, be

cause they were not'convenient for manipulation. V An important objectof the present invention is to provide a portable holder forcollapsibletubes'with a servicecover which can be very quickly, and infact, automatically opened when the tube'is desired for use. So Anotherobject of the invention is to provide such a device with means forautomatically closing the service cover when the holder is replaced upona shelf or other suitable supporting surface. i More specifically theinvention contemplates the'provision of a holder which will support thecollapsible tube in a substantially upright position and having a hingedcover to fit over the outlet end of the tube and ca- 70 4 pable of beingswung away from the same for the'purpose of removing some of thecontents there0f. A suitable counterbalance weight is associated withsaid hinged cover, so that when the holder is taken up for use, a slighttilting motion will result in automatically opening the cover, andconnected with the same is a vertically movable rod, which, when thecover is opened, extends below the plane so ofthe'base of the holderandis adapted to be moved upwardly to close the cover, as willhereinafter be explained. V

Theforegoing and other objects, features and advantages of the inventionwill be more readily apparent from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings,-wl1erein one formof theinvention has been shown by way of illustration, and wherein Figure 1 is,a frontview of aholder having a collapsible tube'in place and with thehinged cover in closed position, v

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, Figure 3 is a view similartoFigure 2, but

showing the cover in opened position and the tube holding means inunlocked position,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view on the line,4-l of Figure 2, V

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 55 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view ona larger scale taken on thelined-4) of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that theimprovedholder l0 is in the'nature of an upright stand which is adaptedto'support the collapsible tube 11 in substantially upright position,leaving the same accessible for themanual extrusion of so the contentsthereof; The stand 10 which has been specifically illustrated, comprisesa .pair of spaced parallel upright members 12,

which may be conveniently formed of tubing, and which are connected attheir lower 8:;

ends by an integral laterally curved base member 13, and they arefurther connected at their upper ends by a similarly curved hori- Izontal portion l l, which, in this embodiment, functions to clamp andsupport the tube 11. 9o

Theupright members'12, at one side of the device, are providedintermediate the ends with a pair of spaced lugs 15 and 16 forconnection of a pair of tube clamping elements 17 and 18 respectively.The tube clamping 9&-

element 17 may be formed of the same kind of tubing as is used for themembers 12 and comprises a pair of parallel leg portions 19 which areadapted to be aligned with the upright portions 12 and which areconnecte 10o together at their upper ends by a curved integral portion20 which is substantially similar to the portion 1 lpreviouslydescribed. The lowe member 18 is similarly formed of tubular stock andhas a pair of spaced parallel. leg portions 21 adapted to be axiallyaligned with the portions 19 and connected together intermediate theirends by a laterally curved portion 22 which extends in the oppositedirection from the curved portions 13, and combines therewith in forminga supporting base for the holder 10.

The curved members 1-1 and 20 are so pro portioned as to be capable offirmly clamping the upper end of the tube body 11 in such a manner as todeflect the wall portions thereof and actually form a retaining groovefrom which the tube cannot he accidentally displaced, and thearrangement is such't-hatmanipulation of the lower clamping member 18will result in operation of the upper clamping member 17 in such amanner as to lock or unlock the tube 11 in or from the desired position.For this purpose, the leg portions 19 of the clamping member 17 arepivoted as at 23 to the cars 15, and similarly, the legs 21 of the lowerclamping member 18 are pivoted as at 2 1 tothe ears 1b. Extend ingupwardly from the extremities of said leg members 21 and movabletherewith are a pair of pins 25 which engage within suitable slots 26 inthe extremities of the leg p-ortions 19 between said pivotal connections23 and 24. It will be evident, that by virtue of this arran ement,pivotal movement of the lower member 18 will result in a similarmovement of the upper member 17 and preferably, a pair of spring clips27 are secured to the upright members 12 adjacent the lower ends thereofand adapted to yieldingly engage the lower ends of the leg portions 21in such a manner as to hold the parts in tube clamping position.

The spacing between the upright members 12 is preferably less than thewidth or thickness of the closed end 28 of the tube 11, and by virtue ofthis arrangement, it is possible to engage and firmly hold said lowerend of the tube, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and For this purpose, theupright p rtions 12 are provided on their inner sides with transversenotches or grooves 29, within. which said lower end 28 of the tube isadapted to take a seat and to be held therein by the spaced leg portions21 of the clamping member 18. if desired, a pair of dish-ed fin gerpieces 30 may be secured to the upright members 12 in such a manner asto overlie the hinge connections 15, 16, 23 and 24, whereby to concealand protect the same and provide a convenient grip whereby the innerdevice may be lifted for use.

Carried by the upper end of one of the upright members 12 is a hingeconnection 31 for a service cover 32, said cover being adapt ed toextend over the outlet end 33 of the tube 11, and preferably having aperipheral flange portion 34: which snugly fits against the inclinedcover 35 of said tube. Secured to said cover in any suitable manner is asubstantially rigid arm 36 on which is mounted a counterbalance weight37, which, with respect to the pintle of the hinge 31, is disposed atthe opposite side from the service cover 32. A longitudinally extendingrod 38 is disposed within the upright member 12 with which the hinge 31is associated; said rod being slightly greater in length than the heightof the stand or holder 10. The upper end of said rod 38 is connected asat 39 to the arm 36 and its lower end is providedwith an oil-set portion10, which, when the cover 32is in its open position, extends downwardlybclow the plane of the members 13 and 22, as best shown in Figure 3.

In the use of the device, the tube 11 is first placed in positionbetween the fixed and adjustable members of the holder, whereupon theclamping members 17 and 18 are swung inwardly against the uprightmembers 12 to effect the clamping engagement with the tube, aspreviously described. Thereupon, the screw threaded cap which issupplied vto the tubes by the manufacturers can be removed and ifdesired, discarded, and the holder 10 placed upon a shelf or othersuitable support. In so placing the holder, the off-set portion 40 ofthe longitudinally moving rod 38 is forced upwardly, and such movementis transmitted to the arm 36, overcoming the influence of the Weight '37and automatically moving the service cover 32 to its closed position, asshown in Figure 4.

It will be evident from the foregoing, that a tube holder of extremelysimple construction has been provided, which will be of neat appearanceand desirable, by virtue ofithe fact that collapsible tubes can besupported in upright position, occupying less space than is necessarywhen they are used as at the present time. The contents of the tube 11can be very easily extruded, and the=user will not be required to wasteany time or effort in removing and replacing a screw threaded cap, andthe desirability of this feature will be very easily recognized by thosefamiliar with the art. Obviously, the invention is susceptible ofnumerous modifications in the details of construction and arrangement ofthe parts, and the rightiis herein reserved to make such changes as fallwithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of the lnvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a holder ofthe class described, a portable stand for supporting a collapsible tubein upright position, a service cap' for the outlet end of the tube, saidcap'being hingedly mounted on the stand, and movable means forautomatically closing said cap when the stand isplaced upon a supportingsurface. 7 V

2. In a holder of the class described, a portable stand for supporting acollapsible tube in upright position, a service cap for the outlet endof the tube, said cap being hingedly mounted on the stand, an means forautomatically opening said cap as the holder is lifted for use.

3. In a holder of the class described, a portable stand for supporting acollapsible tube in upright position, a service cap for the outlet endof the tube, said cap being hingedly mounted on the stand, means forautomatically opening said cap as the holder is lifted for use, andmovable means for automatically closing said cap as the stand isreplaced upon a supporting surface.

4. In a holder of portable stand for supporting a collapsible tube, aservice cap for the outlet end of the tube, said cap beinglongitudinally of the tube'for opening said cap when the holder islifted for use.

5. In a holder of the class described, a portable stand for supporting acollapsible tube, a service cap for the outlet end of the tube, said capbeing hingedly mounted on thestand, gravity actuated means for openingsaid cap when the holder is lifted for use, and cap closing meansnormally extending below the plane of the base of the stand when the capis open. a

6. In combination with a stand for supporting a collapsible tube, aservice cover for the outlet end of the tube pivoted to the upper end ofthe stand, means associated with said cover to automatically open thesame as the stand is lifted for use of the tube, and longitudinallyextending means cooperating with said opening means to automaticallyclose the cover when the stand is .replaced upon a supporting surface.

7. In combination with a stand for sup porting a collapsible tube, aservice cover for the outlet end of the tube pivoted to the upper end ofthe stand, means including a weight acting to automatically open thecover, and a longitudinally extending rod connected at its upper end tothe cover and having its lower end adapted to be moved to positionsbelow the base of the stand or flush with the same respectively when thecover is moved to opened or closed positions.

8. In combination with a stand'for sup porting a collapsible tube, aservice cover for the outlet end of the tube pivoted to the upper end ofthe stand, means for automatically opening the cover, including an armrigidly secured to the cover and a weight on the outer end of said arm,and a longitudinally slidable rod concealed within a portion of the theclass described, a

hingedly mounted on the stand, and gravity actuated means extendingstand, said rod being longer than the height of the stand and beingconnected at its upper end tosaid arm, and having its lower end flushwith the base of the stand when the cover is in closed position.

9. In a holder of the class described, a portable stand for supporting acollapsible tube, a service cap connected with the stand and operativeinto and out of a position in which it will cover the outlet end of thetube, and means associated with the stand and cap adapted to be operatedconsequent upon impingement against an object for operating said cap inone direction.-

In testimony FRANK YVOLF.

that I claim the foregoing as my 1nvent1on,I have s gned my name hereto.

